Current Action Report
Gameday Summary Notes: Game 1: Request of the Father, Greenskin Assault The players arrive at the archelogical encampment, during their initial exploration the Clockwork Horror leaves unexpectedly, leaving them to their own devices. The base camp is assaulted by Greenskins, while the investigation continues but proves fruitless; evidence of Canaris's envolvement with the attack is apparent. The team restablish the fortifcations within the tighter perimeter of the hulk entrance, which proves very helpful - repelling a second Ork assault very handily, the team awaits day-break to search for the artifact. The players gain 300 XP. Game 2: Relic Recovery, a Dangerous Trek The team re-enters the hulk and finds the [[Endeavours|Void Abacus]] ; a trio of warp creatures, found by the Artifact ambush the party. The battle over, some of the crew are left mentally broken. The artifact is recovered and only the large transports of the local clan are avalaible to move the Abacus on a long journey to the spaceport, Nexus. The team is once again assaulted by Orks, twice. The rest of the two week journey is uneventful, besides getting more dirtier. No contact with the Clockwork Horror is made, and arrive within the territory of Nexus anonymously. The players gain 300 XP, and can make their first aqusition roll. Due to Haarlock resources in the area, they gain access to some very common gear, if desired. The equipment and rolls are made once formal contact with Haarlock forces is established. Game 3: Spaceport Arrival, Conflict in the Compound The players gain access to the Haarlock compound and can take a Fury interceptor to the Clockwork Horror, now in orbit. Canaris's Ork bodyguard, acting in a rear-guard action, dies in its attempt to stop the players from departing to orbit in an assault with some misguided Haarlock Housemen in the private orbital hangar. Upon arrival at the Clockwork Horror, Haniel, father of Ulrich is discovered near-dead and Canaris has sacked the personal vaults of the Haarlock - in his departure, he nearly kills the entire team, brother included, in his exit to places unknown. Ulrich is recognized as the Rogue Trader, but Haniel reveals a secret: the [[Endeavours|Warrant is unsanctioned]]. The players gain an additional 300 XP (half from the death of the Ork). Due to the extraordinary circumstance, the generic houseguard will now officially use the Oathsworn Bodyguard template and is henceforce known as [[People#Fortunato_Propsero|Propsero Fortunado]]. Game 4: Brother Betrayal, Departure to the Void Unknown Now in control of the Clockwork Horror and the fate of House Haarlock, it is revealed that the surprise departure of the vessel was at the bequest of the The Adeptus Mechanicus Outpost at the edge of Aneisadora system, revealing that a path through the warpstorm is open. The Ad Mech opens its vaults for a potential aqusition test. The team leaves the Aneisdora system, the Clockwork Horror becomes exceptionally responsive at every action bringing them closer to the warp, Hannibal masterfully enters the warp and cuts a blistering path through the Immaterium and leaves the shoals of the Foundling Worlds behind. A number of warp encounters occurs, Ulrich has a conversation with his dead father. Whilst adjusting for their continued warp passage a signal from an Imperial vessel is detected, revealing a drifting tranport hulk: and an Xeno ambush. Five unknown raider sized vessels, spewing radiation and possessing unusual howling armaments assault the Clockwork Horror: very ineffectively. The vessls, using no coordination are unable to penetrate the void shielding or defensive measures that decimate their boarding attempts, three of the vessels near crippled, they retreat. Game 5: Xenos in the Hulk, A Dark House Returns Having driven off the ambushing Xenos, the team decide to investigate the derelict craft. A standard armed salvaging operation commences with a number of craft and crews for an initial evaluation of the craft. The command team decide to bring a large contingent of housemen for their exporation of the bridge. While navigating their way to the bridge obvious signs of conflict are apparent, but no bodies are discovered unti they reach one of the few hard-point entries to the bridge: obvious use of heavy weapons were used to breech the bulkhead and at least two different conflicts occured judging from the decay of the bodies found, a Xeno slugger weapon using unusually large ammunition is found under a corpse. The bridge itself, and its command cadre dead to a man are found. While Aries interfaces with the cogitator arrays, Ulrich and Hannibal investigate the private command section of the bridge, finding the dead Captain and a number of other crew piled up. The Clockwork Horror reports the Xeno's are returning and two new, larger contacts are in-bound. While looking in captain's suites, a horrible Xeno bursts forth from hiding under the corpses in a surprise attack. The multi-limbed cyber-xeno is set ablaze with warpfire from the Navigator and murderously run-through by Ulrich, but not before the hapless housemen are devestated by the horror. Aries find some unusual auger-array returns from the Clockwork Horror, but most of the cogitator arrays are non-functional or destroyed. Aries does determine the general condition of the vessel and the status of the Navigator and Astropath spires. Within the Navigator spire, the evidence of another doomed defense is found, but also, valuable charts and newer records are recovered. Hannibal easily determines the lackdastical origins of the Navigator House and wisely determines little of value beyond the charts is likely. While butchering the Xeno for study, the vox crackles to life and a horrible chittering, scretching echoes around the ship. As the team prepares to double-time back to the shuttle, the Clockwork Horror reports that some teams have not checked-in and that others report Xeno contact. The team hurries back through the hulk, having a number of firefights with small groups of the Xenos: during such conflicts more Xeno artifacts are recovered and Hannibal is badly hurt, most of the housemen are lost in withdrawl, but the team gets back to the shuttle and returns to the Clockwork Horror. Conclusion of deep space hulk and return to the Imperium. Players gain enough experience to bring them to Rank 2. Numerous Acqusition rolls avaliable. Game 6: Arrival at Footfall, The Foretelling Crew is unhappy -15 morale. Arrive in Footfall, bring some entourage. Encounter Xeno guides, Kroot. Harrassed by drunken longshore men, some shooting and Kroot eat their entrails - and are hired. Take a short tour of area with intent to go to liege palace, accosted by agents of the Aecoomica who demand tribute - ignored. Servo-skull invite by Liege - players decide to spend an afternoon in an upscale dining-hall and absorb, or wipe-off the ambience of Footfall. Attend dining event with Footfall nobility, including a few Rogue Traders: Wrath Umbolt, Lady Charabelle, J Blitz, Lord-Admiral Bastille and Abel Gerrit. Dine on unusual faire: Blitz eats a Throat Crab, Hannibal some Winterscale Creeper and both Ulrich and Aries on Warp Eel: Ulrich loses a fate point, but by their actions gain some daring reputation and the location of the Foretelling. After departing the party they make their way back to their berthed vessel - and are attacked by some mutants and a gang of narco-gangers who are swiftly dispatched. A dying ganger reveals that a Rogue Trader, Krackwin Feckward, hired a number of gangers to elimiate rivals. Next day attend auction for foretelling, and successfully their Void Abacus - and manage to recover some invested profit factor when ironing out the details. Players attend foretelling and all players participate in the dream-manifestation, compelling them to seek the Dread Pearl. All attendees leave and race to their vessels. Lady Charabelle approaches House Haarlock in an alliance. The players gain experience: +100 EXP for not attacking or resorting to violence when dealing with the Administraum Oeconomica Imperialis. +50 EXP for eatting something dangerous at the banquet, +100 EXP for eatting Warp Eel. +200 EXP for creating a potential Alliance with Lady Charlabelle Armelan. Corrections: *Crew Morale is reduced by -15 Morale as a base, components on the Clockwork Horror decrease this value. *I believe the encounter, ''A Formal Occasion'', which asks the players to eat unusual entrées in exchange for bonuses is far-fetched and inspired by a similar dining experience in the novel ''Rogue Star'', by ''Andy Hoare'': upon reflection, I've decided that no fate point was lost in the encounter because of mutation. Mostly because I think it's silly. Game 7: False Starts, Double Disappointments Players leave the Furbindis/Footfall system with the other contenders for the Dread Pearl. During the two day trip to the translation point they detect a nearby battle; the vessel of a rival, Djanko Scourge, is opening up with his batteries on an undetected assailant. Using the exceptionally powerful auger arrays of the Clockwork Horror a Xeno vessel is detected with a signature that would likely make it an Eldar vessel. Ulrich decides that assisting Djanko is the most profitable way to deal with this situation - as such he contacts Djanko and determine a strategy: Djanko leads the potential Eldar towards the Clockwork Horror. With a manipulation of the warp by the Navigator the Clockwork Horror fire a single burst from its starboard battery crippling the Eldar vessel tearing open its hull. The Xeno's quickly disengage and Djanko thoroughly impressed (and perhaps concerned) begrudgingly thanks the Lord Captain and his crew for the assistance, and that he does, indeed owe a favour to House Haarlock. Before leaving they wait for Lady AC to reach the translation point, thus ensuring her safety. During the extremely fast travel through the warp, which would otherwise be uneventful, they locate a probe and bring it on board. Arrival at Dread Pearl system reveals is wrong location. Detect an alien convoy of Stryix who wish to trade, the players agree and trade with them. Stryix reveal details of the system. Unknown contact briefly detected, but not determined. Travel time is about a week to the planet which is spent making the system and target world. An aggressive assault with two platoons and 2 full wings of Aeronautic craft is launched towards the planet; disaster strikes as a massive storm erupts during atmo=entry, scattering the invasion force; most of the craft, including the Aquila of the Command Crew crashes, Not moments after their crash a giant flying insect attacks their crashed vessel - the players open fire and find the giant big is extremely resilient.. =The Story= Request of the Father, Greenskin Assault Instructed by retiring Lord-Captain Haniel Harkonnen to assist the Master and Commander (soon to be Lord Captain)Canaris, younger brother of Ulrich, to recover a relic from a ship hulk, buried in the desert. The relic is called a Void Abacus, allowing jumps through the immaterium without a Navigator, which Haniel hopes, to bypass the warp storm that has kept them isolated for 500 years. The players take an Aquila lander to the dig site, meet Canaris (and his Ork companion) and learned that the Abacus was located, but some kind of beasts were released or close to, its resting place - which prevented Canaris from claiming it, and the reason for his request for aid. The players secretly loop into the Ad Mech communication net to watch over the camp, and also the Arvus Lighter that Canaris travels in, is concealing some heavy firepower. The players decide to wait until the next morning to explore the hulk. The players leave the base-camp and enter the hulk, and eventually get lost, forcing them to return to the entrance and re-group, shortly after their egress into the hulk an emergency beacon fron the Clockwork Horror was intercepted: the Clockwork is leaving to investigate a disturbance at the edge of the system - potentially isolating the party for a few weeks. In their absence the base-camp was attacked, and many killed. Through the actions of the players, housemen were saved, gear recovered and fires put out. Witnesses report that Canaris's Arvus was the source of the attack, which was further confirmed by a vox-record recovered from one of the dead Tech-Priests: Canaris was involved, intentionally, with the destruction. The perimeter breached and their forces wanting, the players collapse the perimeter of their base and withdraw into the hulk, bringing their supplies. Retreating into the hulk proved an excellent idea, as a nearby group of Orks investigated the disturbance: the collapsed perimeter allowed the players and the remaining housemen to maximize their firepower in a small overlapping killing field: wiping out the Orks very quickly in a surprise attack. Relic Recovery, a Dangerous Trek: The players re-enter the hulk with a platoon of housemen to locate the Void Abacus, leaving behind the majoirty of their forces to guard the hulk entrance. The journey is much easier the second time. The holding vault for the Void Abacus is located without issue. The players detect 3 warp creatures without the holding vault but cannot locate them. Breaking into small squads the players approach the relic: the warp creatures reveal themselves and attack. 2/3 of the Armsmen are killed or driven insane from the encounter, but the monsters are defeated with nary a scratch mentally, but superficially on them. The Void Abacus is safely removed and brought to the hulk entrance, and the waiting House Haarlock men. Without access to the Clockwork Horror and its bulk lifters, the likely continued assault from Orks, the players decide to take the two large rovers and everything they can carry to Nexus, the central spaceport city: and major Haarlock forfication, the journey will take almost two weeks. The players are able to recover the mono-task servitors and the broken, yet repairable, remains of the Aquila lander with them. The players organize the troops, military equipment, and placement of their recovered gear. Shortly into their journey the players are attaked by Orks, once again, this time on trukks and bikes. Two distinct engagements occur, a small group on warbikes, and then warbikes and trukks with boarding parties and a warplane. The players decide on a safe strategy of not have their vehicles attempt manuvers, but instead, maintain their course and speed. The Orks are defeated, and only minor casualties are taken, none of their equipment is lost, nor signfigantly damaged. Spaceport Arrival, Conflict in the Compound: The Arbites watch all the entrances to and from the spaceport Nexus, the small battered convoy is searched. Shortly into the search Ulrich reveals his signet ring and they are quickly let inside. Upon entering Nexus, the party decides to gather some addiitonal infomation before heading directly to the Haarlock compound. Within a short while it is learned the Canaris had arrived much earlier and had been spreading tales of a battle and the death of his brother and the prominent members of his new bridge team in a fierce battle with Orks. A short while ago the Clockwork Horror had returned to orbit. Travel to compound, and its revealed that shortly after annoucing their presences at the main gate, Canaris quickly departed by lighter back to the Clockwork Horror. All players make their attempts to use the profit factor ro gain an item. Players attempt to communicate directly with the ship, which meets with little success until Ulrich uses his commanding presence to force the communication officer to break the standing rules of Haniel, in conference with Canaris, to not be disturb. Shortly afterwards the vox link is cut, and no more hails are acknowledged. The players head to the orbital hangar with their cadre of surviving troopers, awaiting them is the unnamed Ork companion of Canaris, last seen in the base camp two weeks ago. With the Ork are an unstead lot of house troopers - a fight breaks out. Ulrich also manages to turn the house troopers on the Ork, but isn't able to dedicate the time to convince them, likely due the hail of lasfire and grenades detonating. Ulrich and Hannibal storm the vehicle the Ork is using for cover, while Ares moves to cover - the troops split themselves up amongst the command staff. In the end, all but one of the cadre troops are killed, and all of house guard are killed in the exchange. The plasma gun of Ares shows its worth and slags most of the cover the Ork could use. The withering third eye of Hannibal incinerates most of the troops, and its unclear if it was the warp-fire or the power sword of Ulrich that killed the Ork. It was clear that the munitions of the Ork cooked off while Ulrich was examining the body, however. Brother Betrayal, Departure to the Void Unknown: Text about stuff Xenos in the Hulk, A Dark House Returns: Text about stuff Arrival at Footfall, The Foretelling: Text about stuff False Starts, Double Disappointments: